Status report on multigroup cross section generation code development for high-fidelity deterministic neutronics simulation system.
- Nuclear Engineering Division
Under the fast reactor simulation program launched in April 2007, development of an advanced multigroup cross section generation code was initiated in July 2007, in conjunction with the development of the high-fidelity deterministic neutron transport code UNIC. The general objectives are to simplify the existing multi-step schemes and to improve the resolved and unresolved resonance treatments. Based on the review results of current methods and the fact that they have been applied successfully to fast critical experiment analyses and fast reactor designs for last three decades, the methodologies of the ETOE-2/MC{sup 2}-2/SDX code system were selected as the starting set of methodologies for multigroup cross section generation for fast reactor analysis. As the first step for coupling with the UNIC code and use in a parallel computing environment, the MC{sup 2}-2 code was updated by modernizing the memory structure and replacing old data management package subroutines and functions with FORTRAN 90 based routines. Various modifications were also made in the ETOE-2 and MC{sup 2}-2 codes to process the ENDF/B-VII.0 data properly. Using the updated ETOE-2/MC{sup 2}-2 code system, the ENDF/B-VII.0 data was successfully processed for major heavy and intermediate nuclides employed in sodium-cooled fast reactors. Initial verification tests of the MC{sup 2}-2 libraries generated from ENDF/B-VII.0 data were performed by inter-comparison of twenty-one group infinite dilute total cross sections obtained from MC{sup 2}-2, VIM, and NJOY. For almost all nuclides considered, MC{sup 2}-2 cross sections agreed very well with those from VIM and NJOY. Preliminary validation tests of the ENDF/B-VII.0 libraries of MC{sup 2}-2 were also performed using a set of sixteen fast critical benchmark problems. The deterministic results based on MC{sup 2}-2/TWODANT calculations were in good agreement with MCNP solutions within {approx}0.25% {Delta}{rho}, except a few small LANL fast assemblies. Relative to the MCNP solution, the MC{sup 2}-2/TWODANT results overestimated the multiplication factor by 0.22 {approx} 0.35% {Delta}{rho} for these small systems with very hard neutron spectrum. Comparisons of measured and calculated values for the fission reaction rate ratios of Godiva and Jezebel assemblies also showed that the MC{sup 2}-2/TWODANT results agreed well with measurements within 2.7%. From a series of methodology review and ENDF/B-VII.0 data processing, several improvement needs to enhance accuracy were also identified for the ETOE-2/MC{sup 2}-2 code system, including the multigroup slowing-down solution for whole-energy range, proper treatment for anisotropy of inelastic scattering, improved evaluation of inelastic and high-order anisotropic scattering source in RABANL calculations.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC02-06CH11357
- OSTI ID:
- 1028602
- Report Number(s):
- ANL-AFCI-207; TRN: US1106025
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- ENGLISH
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Related Subjects
ANISOTROPY
BENCHMARKS
CROSS SECTIONS
DATA PROCESSING
FAST REACTORS
FISSION
FORTRAN
INELASTIC SCATTERING
ISOTOPES
MODIFICATIONS
MULTIPLICATION FACTORS
NEUTRON TRANSPORT
NEUTRONS
REACTION KINETICS
RESONANCE
SCATTERING
SIMULATION
SLOWING-DOWN
TOTAL CROSS SECTIONS